Public Health Ontario has reported 1,508 new cases of COVID-19 today (March 17).
Today's report includes 1,488 recoveries and 14 new deaths, including one person between 20 and 39 years old, one person between 40 and 59 years old, four people between 60 and 79 years old, and eight people aged 80 or older. Five of the deaths reported today were residents of long-term care homes.
The province has reported 59 new hospitalizations since yesterday, and 16 new admissions of COVID-19 patients to intensive care units.
The March 17 update provided by the province's public health agency also reported the following data:
- 12,512 active cases, which is up from 12,506 yesterday
- 741 people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in Ontario, down from 761 reported yesterday.
- There are 300 COVID patients in intensive care units (up from 292 yesterday) and 190 COVID patients on ventilators (down from 194 yesterday)
- The province reported 49,128 tests were processed yesterday resulting in a 3.5 per cent positivity rate.
- Another 35,201 tests are still under investigation and/or being processed. To date, 11.8 million tests have been completed.
- Of the 1,508 new cases reported today, 542 are from Toronto, 253 cases are from Peel, 107 are from York Region, and 74 are from Simcoe-Muskoka
- There are 69 active outbreaks at long-term care homes, 46 at retirement homes, and 29 at hospitals.
- The new cases reported today include 285 individuals aged 19 and under, 575 people between 20 and 39 years old, 404 people between 40 and 59 years old, 198 people between 60 and 79 years old, and 48 people aged 80 and over.
Variants of concern (Ontario-wide)
- 1,134 lab-confirmed cases of the UK variant strain of COVID-19 (B.1.1.7).
- 47 cases of B.1.351 (also known as the South African variant).
- 34 cases of P.1, which is the variant strain that originated in Brazil.
- Another 9,652 cases have screened positive with a mutation detected, but the lineage for the variant strain not yet sequenced.
- According to Public Health Ontario, there are delays between specimen collection and the testing required to confirm a variant of concern. As such, the reports can change and can differ from past case counts publicly reported.
Vaccines
- There were 58,202 doses of vaccines against COVID-19 administered on March 16, which is up from 51,579 administered on Mar. 15.
- As of 8 p.m. on March 16, the province reported 1,301,334 doses of vaccine against COVID-19 have been administered.
- In total, 290,659 people have been fully vaccinated.
Public Health Ontario has confirmed 321,956 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, and reported 302,257 recoveries and 7,187 deaths, of which 3,887 were individuals living in long-term care homes.
The cumulative average incidence rate in the province is 2,165.9 cases per 100,000 people in Ontario.
The weekly incidence rate in Ontario is 63.1 cases per 100,000 people, which is an increase of 14.9 per cent from last week (Mar 1 - Mar. 7).
In Northern Ontario, the breakdown of Public Health Ontario data is:
- Algoma Public Health: 212 cases, rate of 185.3 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 217 cases. There are 19 known active cases, including three people not from Algoma who are temporarily in the region. The region is in the yellow - protect zone.
- North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit: 271 cases, rate of 208.9 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 273 cases. There are four known active cases. There have been two confirmed cases of the United Kingdom (B.1.1.7) variant, and 21 confirmed cases of the South African (B.1.351) variant of concern. There are 13 tests where variants have been detected but the strain is not known yet. The region is in the red - control zone.
- Porcupine Health Unit: 344 cases, rate of 412.3 per 100,000 people. There is one known active case. There have been two confirmed cases of the South African (B.1.351) variant of concern. There is one test where a variant has been detected but the strain is not known yet. The region is in the orange - restrict zone.
- Public Health Sudbury and Districts: 1,031 cases, rate of 518 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 1,034. There are 245 known active cases. There are three confirmed variants of concern (VOC) cases, both are the UK (B.1.1.7) strain. There are 200 tests where variants have been detected but the strain is not known yet. The region is in the grey - lockdown zone.
- Timiskaming Health Unit: 106 cases, rate of 324.3 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 107 cases. There is one known active case. There has been one confirmed case of the South African (B.1.351) variant of concern. The region is in the orange - restrict zone.
- Northwestern Health Unit: 583 cases, rate of 65 per 100,000 people. There are 76 known active cases. There has been one confirmed case of the UK (B.1.1.7) variant. There are three tests where variants have been detected but the strain is not known yet. The region is in the red - control zone.
- Thunder Bay District Health Unit: 2,467 cases, rate of 1,645.1 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 2,493 cases. There are 424 known active cases. There is one test where a variant has been detected but the strain is not known yet. The region is in the grey - lockdown level.